The operating room buzzed with anticipation as the surgical team scrubbed in. The storm’s fury outside seemed to seep into the hospital walls, an unrelenting force that mirrored the stakes of the procedure ahead.
I tightened my gloves, stealing a glance at Xaviel as he prepared across from me. His movements were precise, his expression focused. He might as well have been carved from stone—cool, calm, and completely unreadable.
“We’ll need to move fast,” Dr. Ramirez said, her voice steady despite the urgency. “Placental abruption with significant bleeding. We need to stabilize the mother and ensure the baby’s safety.”
Xaviel nodded, his eyes flicking briefly to me. “I’ll manage the mother’s vitals. Sydney, can you handle the incision?”
The way he said my name—professional, detached—somehow felt more intimate than it should. I swallowed hard and nodded, forcing my focus to the patient.
“Let’s begin.”
The operating room was thick with tension, the storm outside raging as if mirroring the delicate situation before us. The surgical team moved in sync, every second counted as we fought to save two lives.
“Bleeding is increasing,” Xaviel said, his voice calm yet urgent as he monitored the mother’s vitals. “Her pressure is dropping fast. We’re running out of time.”
“I’ve almost got it,” I said, steadying my hands. Sweat trickled down my temple, but I didn’t dare blink. Dr. Ramirez worked alongside me, clamping the ruptured vessel with precision.
The baby’s heart rate monitor spiked sharply before flatlining.
“Heart rate’s gone,” Sophie called out. “We need to get the baby out now!”
“Scalpel,” I barked, holding out my hand.
The incision was quick but deliberate. I reached in, and moments later, I lifted the baby out, a tiny, fragile body that was far too still. The pediatric team swept in, working tirelessly to resuscitate the newborn.
“Come on, little one,” Sophie murmured, her voice thick with hope as she administered breaths.
Then, a small, desperate cry pierced the room. Relief swept through me like a wave as the baby’s first breath filled the air.
“He’s stable,” Sophie confirmed, her face lighting up with a rare smile.
The brief moment of triumph was shattered by the blaring of alarms.
“She’s crashing!” Xaviel’s voice cut through the room like a knife. “Massive hemorrhage. We’re losing her.”
“No,” I whispered, pivoting back to the mother. “Clamp here. Ramirez, more suction!”
Dr. Ramirez worked quickly, but the blood was relentless. I pressed harder, desperately trying to stop the bleeding.
“Push another unit of blood!” I yelled, my voice straining.
“She’s not responding,” Xaviel said, his voice tight.
“No, we’re not giving up,” I snapped, determination flooding my veins. “We can save her.”
But deep down, I felt the cold grip of reality taking hold.
Minutes stretched into eternity. Despite our best efforts, the monitors flatlined, their steady hum drowning out the sounds of the storm.
“She’s gone,” Dr. Ramirez said softly, her voice tinged with sorrow.
The room fell into a heavy silence. I stood there, staring at the lifeless body on the table, my hands stained red. She was gone. The baby she’d fought to protect would survive, but she would never hold him.
YOU ARE READING
Bound by the Waves
RomanceDr. Sydney Raine Alvarez, the resolute and fiercely independent doctor, sought solace in her work at the hospital, away from her family's relentless pressures. But her escape is short-lived when she is forced into an engagement with Dr. Xaviel Elian...